Thursday, December 04, 2008

WS Poll: Western Canadians should explore the idea of forming their own country

In August of 2005, the Western Standard commissioned a poll to see how Western Canadians felt about the possibility of separating from Canada.

A stunning 35.6 per cent of Western Canadian respondents agreed when asked "Western Canadians should begin to explore the idea of forming their own country." (32.1 in BC, 43 in Alberta, 33.6 in Saskatchewan, and 28.8 in Manitoba).

Comments

This certainly merits more consideration. Especially if the Separatist Coalition takes power.

Posted by: Mike in White Rock | 2008-12-04 4:55:04 AM

Not to sound snarky about my Canadian friends, but can Canada hold together as a nation over the long haul? I've always had the impression that it is a significantly looser coalition than the USA, too bound up in provincial (no pun intended) interests to coalesce into a strong, centralized state. But not being particularly well versed in Canadian history, I could easily be wrong.

Centralized State ...is exactly waht all freedom loving people need to avoid. If we want to be free, we must avoid following the US down the road to....socialism? We must reverse the trend here in Canada.

Posted by: JC | 2008-12-04 6:05:57 AM

A separate western entity? That would exclude Vancouver and the Lower mainland, where half of BC's population lives. Why? Because it has more in common with Toronto, Montreal, southwestern Ontario, than it does with rural BC, Alberta, or Saskatchewan. Vancouver is not a social conservative region and would be completely stifled in any federation with the rural prairie provinces and rural BC. Rural BC in many places I will admit has more in common with Alberta than the lower mainland of BC.

In any case, if we have proportional representation, we would have coalition governments all the time, and to be part of the ruling coalition, you can't play politics like Stephen Harper plays politics.

Stephen Harper is the most disliked aspect of the Conservative party. There is about 62% of the country that now and in the next election simply will note vote for a Stephen Harper Tory party.

Big Van 'would be completely stifled in any federation with the rural prairie provinces and rural BC'. - Marc

Really know your Canadian history, eh Marc?

The vast majority of progressive good ideas in Canada over the last 100 yrs have come from the western prairie provinces.

Medicare, women voting, a bilingual federal govt civil service (ok maybe that wasn't so good, but it was John Diefenbaker that ordered the first French bilingualism in the civil service), and many other ideas originated in the rural West.

Oh ok, you guys did do the progressive druggie toilet thingy, so you got us there. heh.

Posted by: Rocky Thompson | 2008-12-04 8:38:43 AM

Here is how we form our own nation.

First of all, forget about forming separatist parties and competing against the Conservatives. All that does is dilute what little influence we have in Ottawa, but more importantly, it is a waste of our vital energy.

I suggest we write a Western Canadian Constitution. The Constitution would be politically centralist and not extremist. It would be rational and inclusive and free of political rhetoric.

Secondly, we elect representatives to a shadow legislature or government in exile funded strictly by donations and party membership and volunteers. If we can get higher voter turnouts for our shadow government than for Canadian national elections then that alone shall provide all the legitamcy needed to assume independence.

Thirdly, all recent freedom movements have relied heavily on symbols. Solidarity in Poland is a great enduring symbol. We need a symbol to wear, as flags on our vehicles and to show western solidarity, fellowship and resolute committment.

Epsi

Posted by: epsilon | 2008-12-04 9:16:27 AM

Epsilon,

I like the way you think: action!

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."
- Thomas Jefferson, well -- mostly.